Introduction to Costa Rica

If you’re looking for an epic environmentally friendly surf trip, Costa Rica should be high up on your list. As we’ll point out in this Costa Rica Surf Guide, there are so many cool things to see and do, especially along the Pacific and Caribbean coasts.

Whether you’re looking to relax and completely disconnect or you’d like to incorporate a bit of adventure into your holiday, Costa Rica has it all. You can enjoy amazing jungle canopy tours, observe sea turtle nesting grounds, go whale watching, hike Costa Rica’s volcano, Mt Arenal, kayak through estuaries where you’ll spot wild cayman, and of course you can surf like there’s no tomorrow.

Costa Rica is one of the most environmentally conscious countries in the world. It ranked fifth in the world, and first among the Americas, on the 2012 Environmental Performance Index and it is the only country to meet all five criteria established to measure environmental sustainability by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

Costa Rica also ranked #1 on both the 2009 & 2012 Happy Planet Index and it’s been noted as the greenest country in the world. In 2007, the Costa Rican government announced plans for Costa Rica to become the world’s first carbon-neutral country by 2021. Costa Rica has also invested heavily into the protection of its indigenous wildlife and in 2012 it became the first country in the American continent to ban all recreational hunting.

Costa Rica’s eco-friendly playground doesn’t just end at the water’s edge either. The country visibly recognizes the importance of eco tourism and it goes to great lengths to protect fishing, migratory animal populations, including its renowned sea turtle nesting areas, and it clearly values the waves, beaches and surfing that help draw more than 2 Million tourists each year (the most of any central american country).

Surprisingly, the lineups at many of Costa Rica’s best waves remain relatively uncrowded. Even at the country’s most renowned surf breaks, like Pavones, Witches Rock, Ollie’s Point, Boca Barranca and others, average surfers can usually get their fair number of waves. A few surf breaks, like Playa Grande, which has a tight take off spot, might be a bit dicey, but those are relatively rare.

Costa Rica also has a large swell window and wave consistency certainly helps to keep the crowds under control. All in all, Costa Rica remains one of the best places in the world for a surfer to spend a holiday, especially for nature lovers and those looking to relax and enjoy a totally different pace.

Top waves for surfing in Costa Rica

Costa Rica’s waves vary but the region is best known for it’s abundant beach breaks, rivermouths and sandy or cobblestone pointbreaks. Standout spots in the north Guanacaste region include Witches Rock, Ollies Point, Playa Grande, Playa Negra, Mal Pais/ Santa Teresa and a slew of others.

Around the middle of the country, in the Gulf of Nicoya region, you have Boca Barranca (one of the longest pointbreaks in Central America), the bustling little surf town of Jaco and fun beach breaks like Playa Hermosa. In the southern end of Costa Rica’s Pacific coast you’ll find a series of fun rivermouths and then you come to Pavones, which is perhaps the best wave in Costa Rica and the longest wave in all of Central America.

But don’t forget that Costa Rica also has a Caribbean coast and there are a number of brilliant waves there, especially from Limon south, including some of Costa Rica’s heaviest waves, like Salsa Brava.

Places to Stay in Costa Rica

In Costa Rica you can find any sort of lodging you’re after. In this Costa Rica Surf Guide we highlight a few places but at SurferLiving.com you can choose from hundreds of hotels, resorts, surf camps and even surf charters.

From 5-star all-inclusive resorts to stylish beachfront boutique hotels to villa rentals to surf camps to jungle treehouses, Costa Rica offers it all. While Costa Rica has seen lots of development over the last 20-30 years, and it is one of the more expensive Central American countries to visit, it’s still relatively inexpensive. Accommodations are also offered in every price range, from about $10 on up. Meals, car rentals and other necessities can also be found at prices that won’t break the bank.

Article by SurferLiving.com.